CPI’s Nil-Cor Advanced Composite Ball Valve

Composite ball valve, corrosion–resistant, easy to operate, long lasting and safe

At the Union Camp Corporation’s Dover, Ohio, chemical manufacturing plant, producing organic acids, many of the maintenance and operating problems revolved around the valves in the pipelines carrying sulphuric acid. These valves required constant attention, and frequent replacement due to corrosion and “freezing” in position, which made them inoperable. High maintenance costs coupled with Safety issues and excessive production downtime, much of it unscheduled, resulted in a compelling need to find valves that were more suitable for the duty, and which would alleviate the situation.

A Nil-Cor advanced composite ball valve was installed in a pipeline handling 79% sulphuric acid at ambient temperature to evaluate its performance. The valve selected for the tests was a 1" Nil-Cor series 310, made of pressure moulded vinyl ester resin and glass fibres – a composite materials system that is inert to most acids, caustics and solvents at temperatures from sub-zero to 99°C. The valve has class 150 flanges and is rated for 275 psi, (19 bar). Other design features include an integrally moulded, blow-out proof stem and ball; PTFE seats and PTFE V ring stem packing. Available with flanged connections from DN25 (1") to DN 150 (6"), and wafer pattern DN200 (8"), these valves are CE marked & PED compliant.

Light in weight, a DN50 (2") valve weighs less than 4Kg, these valves can easily installed by one man, because of these benefits, Union Camp installed more of these valves.

The maintenance department at Union Camp Corporation is very pleased with the performance of the Nil-Cor ball valves in the 79% sulphuric acid service. Other valves used for this operation were often inoperable after a few weeks of being exposed to the acid. The Nil-Cor valves, in comparison have required no maintenance, and continue to perform well after several years in service.

In addition, the use of composite valves has put an end to the unsafe practice of using pipe extensions over valve handles in order to give extra leverage to turn “frozen” valves.

Nil-Cor advanced composite valves have been manufactured for 35 years, and are produced in a number of different resin systems to suit different chemicals and operating conditions.

Nil-Cor valves of vinyl ester resin construction, with either glass fibre or graphite fibre reinforcement, 310 and 300 materials respectively, have earned for themselves an enviable record for long and reliable service under arduous conditions. They have now been joined by Nil-Cor valves of novolac epoxy resin construction, reinforced with glass fibres, 500XP; and reinforced with graphite fibres, 610XP. 500XP valves are suitable for 98% sulphuric acid, and perform well in aggressive solvents, such as methylene chloride, acetone & MIBK. 610XP valves are particularly cost effective in HCL applications with organic solvent contamination.

Nil-Cor ball valves are available with characterised seats for control applications, and a zirconia lined version is also available for use with abrasive, acidic slurries.

Nil-Cor Advanced Composite valves, light in weight, but long lasting and reliable, are distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by CPI Group, Sutton in Ashfield, Notts, England.

CPI Systems Ltd
Tel: 01623 510245
Website: www.cpi-pneumatics.co.uk

Published in Valve User Magazine Issue 21